Hinged wall mold for room construction

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a building made at least partly on the building site in a mold using cast material which involves, first casting a floor on the ground. Thereafter, one or more jigs are arranged on the floor to form a mold in which at least two walls can be cast and these together form the walls of the building. The jigs can be quickly set up on the building site and easily removed after completion. Preferably, at least three walls are cast.

United States Patent 11 1 Van der Lely et a1.

145] July 15, 1975 1 1 HINGED WALL MOLD FOR ROOM CONSTRUCTION [76]Inventors: Cornelis Van der Lely, 7.

Bruschenrain. Zug; Hendricus Jacobus Cornelis Nieuwenhoven, Baar. bothof Switzerland 221 Filed: Apr. 25. 1972 21 Appl.No.:247,394

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 882,650.Dec. 5, 1969.

2.578.310 12/1951 Lager 249/153 X 2.707.814 5/1955 Francis t 249/1812.818.627 l/1953 BlaSiLls 249/181 2.854.725 10/1958 Bast 249/153 X3.141.224 7/1964 Gates..... 249/219 R X 3.288.425 11/1966 Dorris....249/153 3.490.729 1/1970 Luce 249/170 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS255.593 11/1964 Australia 249/152 1.145.520 5/1957 France 249/184869.860 3/1953 Germany 249/183 251.191 1/1970 U.S.S.R 249/179 PrimaryExaminer-Francis S. Husar Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Attorney,Agent. or Firm-Mason, Mason & Albright [57] ABSTRACT A method ofmanufacturing a building made at least partly on the building site in amold using cast material which involves, first casting a floor on theground. Thereafter, one or more jigs are arranged on the floor to form amold in which at least two walls can be cast and these together form thewalls of the building. The jigs can be quickly set up on the buildingsite and easily removed after completion. Preferably. at least threewalls are cast.

8 Claims. 6 Drawing Figures SHEET Mi N HINGED WALL MOLD FOR ROOMCONSTRUCTION RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of applicationScr. No. 882,650, filed Dec. 5, I969 now abandoned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the method disclosed herein alayer of stones is applied to the ground, over which a foil is depositedand on which the floor of material is cast.

The invention also is directed to jigs for carrying out the method inwhich the outer jig consists of a flat jig plate having supportingridges on the outer side, at least some of which project from thevertical sides of a wall plate where holes for receiving pins areprovided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of theinvention reference is made to the drawings.

FIG. I is a plan view of a horizontal sectional view of a buildingerected by the herein disclosed method showing the jigs.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of part of the building shown inFIG. 1 taken on the line 11-" in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of part of the jigs for use in themethod according to the invention. FIG. 4 is an elevation of thejunction of the wall jigs of an inner jig. viewed in the direction ofthe arrow IV in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of part of a building with asecond embodiment of jig structure used in the invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the construction shown in FIG. 5,taken on the line VIVI in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I, a building, includingrooms 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 is shown with the smaller rooms 4 and 5 designedto be used for toilet and shower. For constructing this building theground is first levelled, if necessary, after which a bed 6 of stones orcoarse cubes is laid out to form a bed. If desired, the bed is coatedwith cement or a different cementing material to obtain a firm bedding.A foil 7 is applied to the stone bedding so that it projects the bedover a margin 8. On this foil, a floor 9, preferably of concrete, iscast. Metal reinforcing (not shown) of a type conventional in the artcan be used to increase the strength of the cast floor. In casting thefloor 9, a jig can be provided and which can be left around the floor 9with anchors (not shown) in the rims of the jig 10 which are embedded inthe floor 9 during casting.

For casting the walls bounding the room spaces 1 through 5 inclusive, anouter jig 11 and inner jigs 12, I3, l4, l5 and 16 are used. For eachroom formed, an outer jig is used to surround the room space and theouter jig 11 includes four wall jigs l7, 18, 19 and 20. These four walljigs define a rectangular space. Each wall jig, as for example the jig17, comprises a flat wall plate 21 to which horizontal stiffening ridges22 are secured. Near the circumference, the wall plate 21 has verticalridges 23 and 24. The ends of the horizontal ridges 22 projecting beyondthe ridges 23 and 24 are provided with flat wall plates stiffened byhorizontal ridges with vertical ridges on their ends. According to theirlengths, the vertical sides may have at least one vertical ridge betweenthem.

To erect the jig 11, pins are passed through the holes 25 and 26 inridges 22 of wall jigs l7 and 19 and the registering holes in the ridgesof the wall jigs I8 and 20. It is possible to arrange a pin over thewhole height of the wall plates which can be passed through all holes.As an alternative, short conical pins may be provided, which are locatedonly in one hole of a ridge of one jig and in a further hole of theridge of the other jig. As shown in FIG. 2, the vertical walljigs areprovided with a foot plate 27, by which the jigs can satisfactorily bearon the floor 9 and furthermore a satisfactory closure is obtained on thelower side of the jigs.

The inner jig 12 includes four wall jigs 28, 29, 30 and 31. Each ofthese wall jigs comprises two relatively hinged parts, i.e., the walljig 28 comprises the parts 32 and 33. The parts 32 and 33 comprise wallplate 34 and these plates are stiffened by ridges such as horizontalridges 35. The part 33 has a wall plate 36 with ridges 37. The parts 32and 33 are hinged to each other by a shaft 38. Near the pivotal shaft 38the wall plate 34 is reinforced by a vertical ridge 39. In order toobtain a satisfactory junction between the wall plates 34 and 36, thepivotal shaft 38 is located as near as possible to the plates 34 and 36.A satisfactory connection of the jigs, such as jigs 36 and 31, with eachother can be obtained by providing the joining sides with fittingserrations.

As shown in FIG. 4, the wall plate 36 has serrations 40, and the wallplate 41 of the wall jig 31 has projecting serrations 42. The serrations40 and 42 are arranged so that they fit one in the other. Thus aconnection at the corner of the jigs is obtained as shown in FIG. 3. Theholes in the horizontal ridges 35 and 37 for the pivotal shaft 38 arelarger than the diameter of the shaft 38 so that the parts 32 and 33 areallowed to hinge around the joining edges 43 and 44 of the wall plates34 and 36. These edges 43 and 44 engage each other on the side shown ofthe inner jig. The inner jigs 13, l4, l5, 16 have a constructionidentical to that of inner jig 12 except that the circumferences ofthese inner jigs match the sizes of the room spaces to be formed.

As is shown in FIG. 2, for the inner jig 13, the jigs bear on lower rims45 so that also the inner jigs are adequately supported from the floor9, with which they form a satisfactory seal on the lower side. The innerand outer jigs are intercoupled by pins in FIG. 3. Each pin 46, has ahead 47 which is passed from the outer side of the jigs through a hole48 in the inner jig and a hole 49 in the outer jig. Between the wallplate of the inner jig and the head 47, a ring 50 is provided, and asleeve 51 surrounds the pin 46 on the outer side of the outerjig. Thepin 46 has a hole 52, through which a key 53 is passed. The pins 46 arepreferably provided at a place where a window has to be formed in thewalls. When the pin 46 is arranged on the upper side near the windowframe, the frame 54 can bear on two pins 46. Thus a simple suspension ofthe window 54 is obtained while the frame serves at the same time as aspacer between the pins and the outer jig for obtaining the cor rectwall thickness.

For constructing the building, the walls to be made are cast, preferablyfrom concrete, after the outer jig 11 and the inner jigs 12 to 16 havebeen erected. The inner jigs are easily disposed by lightly bending themovable wall portions of the inner jigs as shown in FIG. 1 for the innerjig 12. When the jigs are arranged in this way, the portions of the jigwalls can be pressed tight so that they become flat. The wall platessuch as 34 and 36 are in line with each other and at the same time thewall jigs at the corners of. the rooms to be formed will satisfactorilyjoin each other by the fitting serrations such as the serrations 40 and42 in FIG. 4. Window frames, door frames and through-connection sleeves,for example, for ducts, can be arranged prior to casting in the moldsurrounded by the jigs between the inner and outer'jigs.

The walls are preferably cast when the formed floor 9 has not yetcompletely cured so that a satisfactory seal between the walls and thefloor can be obtained. If desired, reinforcing is used in the walls,which reinforcing is arranged prior to casting between the outer jig andthe inner jigs. Such reinforcing is coupled with the reinforcing of thefloor 9. When the walls cast from, for example, concrete, havesufficiently cured, the inner jigs can be removed and this is carriedout by loosening the portions 32 and 33 of the wall jig 28 from the castwall, these two wall portions being hinged relatively to each other, andby moving them into a position as shown in FIG. I. When this is carriedout for the other jig walls, for example jig 12, the jig walls can beremoved separately from the space I by means of a crane which removesthe jig walls via the upper side of the space formed from the interiorof the cast walls. The portions 32 and 33 of the jig wall 12 have to behinged relative to each other to an extent so that the interengagingserrations of the joining sides of the wall jigs are detached from eachother. The inner jigs 13 to 16 can be removed in the same manner. Whenthe inner jigs are removed, after the pin 46 or a plurality of similarpins or other connections between the inner and outer jigs have beenremoved, the outer jig 11 can then be removed. This is carried out bytaking out the pins 25 and 26, after which the various jig walls of theouter jig 11 are detached from each other and then lifted away by acrane. As an alternative, first the outer jig is removed and afterwardthe inner jigs are removed. For removing and loosening the various jigsfrom the cast walls, the jigs are tapped.

Prior to casting the walls, blocks can be arranged on the upper sides ofthe jigs between the inner and outer jigs at various places, as desired,so that the upper sides of the walls show recesses which may serve forarranging roof beams.

After the walls are cast and the jigs removed, roof beams are positionedto support a roof and a ceiling can be fastened to the beams. Such aroof can be simply constructed from commercial building sheets, and asuitable framework can be provided on the beams to receive the sheets.Other alternatives will suggest themselves.

In the manner described above, a simple building can be rapidly erectedon the building site. This method is particularly suitable forconstructing a plurality of buildings of generally the same shape sothat the jigs need only be displaced from one erected building to theplace intended for an adjacent building. If desired, adjacent buildingsare shaped in a different form, for example, by using different innerjigs. Although the floor 9 is horizontal, it will be obvious that thefloor 9 can be placed in an inclined position to the horizontal. Thejigs are then adapted thereto so that the walls to be formed areperpendicular as described before. As an alternative, the jigs aspositioned in inclined positions for obtaining non-perpendicular walls.For'intercoupling the inner and outer jigs, pins, such as pin 46, withkeys are used. The employment of keys enables the use of simple pinswhich are not clogged during work. When bolts with screwthreads areused, the screwthread may be soiled by the concrete to an extent suchthat the bolts will practically be unserviceable afterwards.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show part of a building with jigs for a different form ofthe construction method in accordance with the invention. FIG. 5 is aplan view of part of the building to be constructed, which is divided inthe same manner as is shown in FIG. 1. The corresponding parts of FIGS.5 and 6 are therefore designated by the same reference numerals as inFIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 5 shows the room space 1 and part of the rooms 2, 4 and 5. As inthe first embodiment, first a floor is provided and the outer jig forthe embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 can be the same as that employed in thepreceding embodiments. After the floor 9 has been cast, the outer jig 11is positioned in the same manner on floor 9 as in the first embodiment.In the second embodiment, the inner jigs differ in that an inner jig 55is provided to form the room 1 and the rooms 2, 4 and 5 are also formedby inner jigs 56, 57 and 58. The inner jig 55 is formed by a rectangularmold of four sides 59, 60, 61 and 62 and these four sides are rigidlyconnected with each other and form a single unit. Each of the walls ofthe jig 55 comprises a flat portion 63, stiffened by horizontal ridges64. Where desired, a vertical ridge may be provided for strengtheningthe jig. Each of the walls 59 to 61 is provided with a coupling member65 adapted to receive a connecting means 66.

The coupling members 65 are formed by eyelets arranged in verticalridges 67 of the wall jigs. The connecting means 66 are formed by barscoupled with each other by a coupling member 68 having a hoisting eyelet69. The jig may be arranged in place, for example, by a crane which cangrip by a hook 70 in the eyelet 69, so that it is able to displace thejig 55. Also in this case the jig 55 can be coupled with the outer jig11. If desired, spacers are arranged between the inner and outer jigs sothat the inner and outer jigs are kept at the correct distance from eachother. Where a number of frames for windows and doors are provided,these frames may serve as spacers. In the method illustrated in FIGS. 5and 6, the jig 55 is preferably shaped so that on the inner side, a wallsurface 71 is formed, which is inclined in upward direction with respectto an opposite wall to the outer side so that aloosening effect isobtained after the walls have been cast and when the jig is removed. I

A further releasing effect in removing the jig is obtained by the forcesexerted by the hoisting eyelet 70 on the jig walls which are slightlymoved towards each other in a resilient manner. When the jig is lifted,the jig walls are thus readily released from the cast walls by forcesoriented approximately at right angles away from the cast walls. Ifdesired, a jack screw 72 can be arranged beneath the coupling member'68.This jack screw has a foot 73 and a tapped pipe 74, on which acontrol-bar 75 is arranged. The pipe 74 is rotatably journalled in thefoot 73 and accommodates a threaded bar 76, the upper end of whichlS'fitIiCd in an opening in the coupling member 78. By turning the pipe74 so that the bar 76 is screwed out of it, an upward force can beeffectively exerted on the coupling member 78 for initiating thedetachment of the jig 55. When the operation of the jack screw 72 hasenabled the detachment of inner jig 55, the jig is removed further bymeans of the hoisting eyelet 70 by a mobile crane carried, for instance.The jigs 56, 57 and 58 can be of the same construction as jig 55. Inthis method the construction of the jigs is even more simplified than inthe preceding embodiment. However, when out of use, they will occupymore space. The simpler structure of the jigs in this second embodimenthas the advantage that after long use, the jigs maintain theirdimensional ratios. These jigs do not easily wear out primarily becausethey do not have relatively pivotable or interengaging parts.

Although in the embodiments shown, the inner and outer jigs areinvariably formed by four wall portions, the jigs can alternatively beconstructed from not more than two, three or even from more than fourwall portions in accordance with the desired shape of the buildings tobe erected and the rooms to be provided therein.

In order to be able to put down the inner and outer jigs before thefloor 9 has completely cured, solid blocks are embedded in the floor tobe cast. These blocks are arranged at the places where the jigs have tobear on the floor 9. The jigs are then placed on the blocks withoutdamaging the floor before it is completely cured. This permits thecasting of walls soon after the floor has been cast. Moreover, theadhesion of the walls to the floor is improved when the walls are caston a floor not yet hardened.

What is claimed is:

1. An inner jig of a mold for casting walls for a room in a building atthe building site in cooperation with an outer mold defining means, saidinner jig comprising:

at least three vertically standing jig parts for defining the interiorof said room, each of said jig parts having at least two portions, saidportions of each said part being hinged together by vertically disposedhinge means, the outer vertical edges of each said jig beingsubstantially spaced from said hinge means and forming a relativelysharp angular corner with the adjacent edge of the adjoining jig partincluding an overlapping area, said vertical edges being in a slideablecontinuous abutment with each other in their overlapping areas whenreceiving concrete-like material for casting walls between the inner jigand the outer mold defining means and unconnected by means which limitrelative rotation of said adjacent edges about a common axis ofrotation, whereby during the initial withdrawal of said jig portionsaway from the walls as formed therein, said jig portions are rotatedabout an arc relative to said hinge means and said outer vertical edgesare moved away from the walls adjacent thereto without any significentarcuate movement towards said adjacent walls.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1 with each jig portion havinghorizontal ridges which overlap with the connecting jig portion in thesame jig part, wherein said hinge means comprises a vertical shaft whichextends through aligned elongated openings provided in said ridges wherethey overlap.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 2 wherein said ridges of one saidjig part overlap with ridges of an adjoining jig part.

4. Structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein a frame part is disposedbetween the inner jig and said outer mold defining means, an opening isprovided in the inner jig which is aligned with a similar opening in themold defining means, bolt means extending through said opening andincluding drawing means for drawing the inner mold and the outer molddefining means against said frame part.

5. An inner jig of a mold for casting walls for a room in a building atthe building site in cooperation with an outer mold defining means, saidinner jig comprising:

at least three vertically standing jig parts, at least one of said jigparts comprising two adjoining portions which include plate means fordefining the interior surface of said wall;

hinge means hingedly connecting said two jig portions together wherebythey are relatively rotatable about a vertical axis;

said hinge means comprising ridge members mounted on each said jigportion, overlapping areas of said ridge members proximate the juctureof said jig portions, aligned openings in said overlapping areas, andshaft means received in said openings;

said openings of at least the ridge members of one of said jig portionsso formed and cooperating with said shaft means whereby said shaft meansmay move laterally within predetermined limits, and when said portionsare displaced from the wall formed by the casting operation by theturning of said portions relative to said hinge means, said shaft meansinitially moves relative to said openings of said one jig portion andsaid jig portions initially turn in an arc;

the edges of each said plate means opposite said hinge means defining atleast in part an angular corner of said room and constituting asubstantially stationary vertical axis for said initial arc of movementwhen said portions are displaced from the wall formed by the castingoperation.

6. Structure in accordance with claim 5 wherein said openings areelongated in a direction parallel to the adjacent wall to be formed bythe casting operation.

7. Structure in accordance with claim 6, wherein said shaft meanscomprises a vertically disposed shaft.

8'. Structure in accordance with claim 7 wherein a frame part to bepermanently included in the wall to be cast is disposed between saidinner jig part and said outer mold defining means, means connecting saidinner jig part and said outer mold defining means urging said inner jigpart and said outer defining means against said frame part.

1. An inner jig of a mold for casting walls for a room in a building atthe building site in cooperation with an outer mold defining means, saidinner jig comprising: at least three vertically standing jig parts fordefining the interior of said room, each of said jig parts having atleast two portions, said portions of each said part being hingedtogether by vertically disposed hinge means, the outer vertical edges ofeach said jig being substantially spaced from said hinge means andforming a relatively sharp angular corner with the adjacent edge of theadjoining jig part including an overlapping area, said vertical edgesbeing in a slideable continuous abutment with each other in theiroverlapping areas when receiving concrete-like material for castingwalls between the inner jig and the outer mold defining means andunconnected by means which limit relative rotation of said adjacentedges about a common axis of rotation, whereby during the initialwithdrawal of said jig portions away from the walls as formed therein,said jig portions are rotated about an arc relative to said hinge meansand said outer vertical edges are moved away from the walls adjacentthereto without any significent arcuate movement towards said adjacentwalls.
 2. Structure in accordance with claim 1 with each jig portionhaving horizontal ridges which overlap with the connecting jig portionin the same jig part, wherein said hinge means comprises a verticalshaft which extends through aligned elongated openings provided in saidridges where they overlap.
 3. Structure in accordance with claim 2wherein said ridges of one said jig part overlap with ridges of anadjoining jig part.
 4. Structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein aframe part is disposed between the inner jig and said outer molddefining means, an opening is provided in the inner jig which is alignedwith a similar opening in the mold defining means, bolt means extendingthrough said opening and including drawing means for drawing the innermold and the outer mold defining means against said frame part.
 5. Aninner jig of a mold for casting walls for a room in a building at thebuilding site in cooperation with an outer mold defining means, saidinner jig comprising: at least three vertically standing jig parts, atleast one of said jig parts comprising two adjoining portions whichinclude plate means for defining the interior surface of said wall;hinge means hingedly connecting said two jig portions together wherebythey are relatively rotatable about a vertical axis; said hinge meanscomprising ridge members mounted on each said jig portion, overlappingareas of said ridge members proximate the jucture of said jig portions,aligned openings in said overlapping areas, and shaft means received insaid openings; said openings of at least the ridge members of one ofsaid jig portions so formed and cooperating with said shaft meanswhereby said shaft means may move laterally within predetermined limits,and when said portions are displaced from the wall formed by the castingoperation by the turning of said portions relative to said hinge means,said shaft means initially moves relative to said openings of said onejig portion and said jig portions initially turn in an arc; the edges ofeach said plate means opposite said hinge means defining at least inpart an angular corner of said room and constituting a substantiallystationary vertical axis for said initial arc of movement when saidportions are displaced from the wall formed by the casting operation. 6.Structure in accordance with claim 5 wherein said openings are elongatedin a direction parallel to the adjacent wall to be formed by the castingoperation.
 7. Structure in accordance with claim 6, wherein said shaftmeans comprises a vertically disposed shaft.
 8. Structure in accordancewith claim 7 wherein a frame part to be permanently included in the wallto be cast is disposed between said inner jig part and said outer molddefining means, means connecting said inner jig part and said outer molddefining means urging said inner jig part and said outer defining meansagainst said frame part.